Removable fastener for embellishing, branding, joining, gathering and tailoring clothing and commercial textile items

ABSTRACT

A device to perform multiple uses with textiles in everyday apparel and commercial textile uses. It is a decorative piece or labeling device for apparel or textiles, a temporary and adjustable fastener for holding onto a single or holding together multiple pieces of material, as well as a temporary alteration tool that can provide a tailored effect. 
     It is an object of my invention to be used as a fastener temporarily engaging and holding sections of material, such as a single layer attaching itself onto the material just like a piece of jewelry on a blouse or holding together overlapped layers on material like on a jacket or scarf, without piercing the material, which can be adjusted or removed at any time easily. Component  2  of the fastener is a matching base providing a contact surface and protruding connection for a matching piece, component  1  that is pressed into place that gently but firmly connects to hold material together. The base plate is made of a lightweight plastic, resin, and or metal that has a patented gasket like outcropping with a built up lip that will receive and hold component  1,  the top plate, pressed down to engage it component  2.  This connection is key and is one of the most important features of this invention. Not damaging like other penetrating devices like safety pins or clamps with pointy metal or plastic teeth to grab and hold onto material surfaces, etc. The top plates can be made of plastic, metal, resin, wood, etc. in endless shapes, designs and pattern. This is the plate that is visible on the outside of the material or garment. Plate  1  can also be double sided giving the user even more style options or for more branding or labeling functions as well. 
     There is another function of this object when it is used with a third component is engaged. This object can be used as a means to do temporary alterations. By pushing through and holding some material inside the garment or material (showing or not showing depending on your style preference), it gives the appearance of slimming or shaping. You use the first two plates ( 1 &amp; 2 ) as you would for the two previous uses above and then you are able to add a third piece in the center of the other two plates. See  FIG. 3 . You just wait to engage the top piece onto the base plate until you have pushed through the amount of material you wish gathered. Then you insert the component  3  all the way through the center of joined component  1  and  2  until it catches and seats underneath the beveled edge of the underneath section of component  2  mentioned above. All 3 components will be interconnected and attached. The top of component  3  is also smooth and solid, giving another opportunity to be used for embellishment, labeling or branding purposes. 
     This invention falls within the Class 24 Class—Buckles, Buttons, Clasps, Etc. It is a non-penetrating patent. Patents that are similar but still quite different in form and application are:
         1. U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,081 B2—Dec. 19, 2006—Device for joining sets of two or more clothing items, such as socks, gloves or the like, comprises at least two identical components.   2. U.S. Pat. No. 1,837,667—Feb. 27, 1932—Buckle—Invention relates to a new and improved form of buckle suitable for fastening to slippers or shoes, dresses, hates and the like.   3. U.S. Pat. No. 1,401,556—Dec. 27, 1921—Clasping Device For Articles Of Apparel—Invention relates to a simple and convenient means for temporary securing together parts of various articles of jewelry such as chains, fobs, cuff links, and the like.   4. U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,600—Apr. 13, 2004—Fastener provided for removably engaging and holding sections of material, such as a tarp, without piercing the material.   5. U.S. Pat. No. 662,844—Nov. 27, 1900—Button for gloves.   6. U.S. Pat. No. 1,334,163—May 13, 1918—Fastener   7. U.S. Pat. No. EP 1495700—Jan. 12, 2005—Hole edging for curtains or the like

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of PCT Application No. US 62/342,705 filed May 27, 2016.

Notice To File Missing Parts Of Nonprovisional Application letter request dated Jun. 7, 2017 for application Ser. No. 15/607,436—Filed May 27, 2017.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is applicable to the fashion, apparel, and textile industry sectors, specifically in clothing, fashion accessories, and garments as well as home, business and commercial textiles.

The invention works with fashion and apparel items such as shirts, t-shirts, sweaters, jackets, wraps, turtlenecks, dresses, skirts, pants, shorts, beach wraps, sarongs, shawls, wrap skirts, wrap dresses, yoga wear, along with scarves, gloves, hats and hat bands, cloth hair bands and wraps for adult, child and pets products. With the home, business and commercial textile products, a more fortified version of the apparel invention design is made since these textile materials would be expected to be thicker, but the same idea here applies here for table clothes, curtains, table clothes and runners, etc.

The invention is a removable fastener. It allows the user to expand the presentation and functionality of fashion, apparel and home/business textile items.

It's provides unlimited individual style, function and decorative choices.

The main object of the invention is to facilitate the ability to decorate, brand, gather, hold together, as well as tailor clothing articles and textile pieces, without costly and permanent alterations.

This invention works with a series of two or three components. The two components needed to work most functions, and then the 3rd component sometimes added for further functionality, that interlock with a gentle, yet firm connection without piercing apparel or textile material. Please note that some fabrics may be too thick, bulky or sensitive to use with said device. Never force component connections.

The said invention needed to be something the user could use and adjust on the go with their various apparel and textile products, especially with many of the new thinner, stretchier fabric blends on the market.

The said invention has the ability of all the varied functions listed at all times, just depending on how many device parts are used and how.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A daily problem suffered by many people is how to use existing wardrobe and home/business textile items in more aesthetically pleasing ways while also adding even more functionality to existing apparel pieces for busy and varied lifestyles, as well as for home, business and commercial textile items.

This said device came from the need to create something that could replace the use of safety pins or clips that many of us have to use daily as inadequate solutions, as well as unfortunately at the same time, quite often damaging clothing and textile material with holes, snags or rust stains. It is even more bothersome when these temporary solutions are not completely functional or aesthetically pleasing. Thus the creation of said device was needed, not finding any other viable solutions in today's marketplace.

The main object of the invention is to facilitate more gentle, non-damaging applications on apparel and textiles, which are also non permanent or attached. The disadvantages of current devices like safety pins are that they look messy and can make holes, snags and even create rust spots over time. Other devices like shirt or jacket closures use metal or plastic teeth gripping and pulling material which also gives a more messy appearance and can harm material over time. That leaves only the common permanent options like snaps, buttons, button holes, rivets and grommets that are sew or fixed onto the material permanently, leaving no options for quick and flexible adjustments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves, among others, the disadvantages described above in a fully satisfactory manner in each and every aspect discussed.

This is a non-penetrating patent. This is a non-permanently fixed device. No sewing required or any fixed snaps, buttons, button holes, rivets or grommets.

This invention works with a series of interconnecting components, 2 components needed to work most functions, and then a 3rd component sometimes added for further functionality.

The interlocking, connection portions of component 1 and 2, and component 2 and 3 and how and with what they are made of, is a big part of this invention and keeping it light weight is key. Component 1 can be made out of many materials like plastic, wood, metal, stone, rubber, shell, bamboo, coconut shell, etc. Component 1 can be any shape, color, material, design or theme and can vary in sizes from small to large and would likely be double sided to aid even more in merchandising. Component 2 is most likely made from plastic, resin, silicone or polymer material, but other options do work also. Component 2 should be a neutral or matching color of component 1 so it is not seen through the material when used. Plus, component 2 can come in contact with skin when engaged, so need to consider materials that are hygienic and hypoallergenic. The said invention is quick and easy to apply, use and adjust. The invention is versatile and more gentle on your fabrics due to not using pins or clamps, and not having to fixed devices sew or attached.

The user can easily connect and disconnect, “pop on and off”, adjust and change the look and function of the apparel, clothing or textile items anywhere, anytime using the said invention. It's provides multiple individual style and decorative choices for adult, child and pet apparel as well as home, business and commercial textiles.

This invention gives the user the ability to embellish and brand apparel and textile items. The said invention can be used as a single unit like on a t-shirt or dress embellishing your clothes or one could use multiple units at the same time on textiles, like creating a set of faux buttons, faux clasps, etc. It's purely an aesthetic function when used in this manner, giving you the ability to present your clothing or textiles in different, creative ways. It takes a plain garment piece and gives it more of a designer appearance. This also give the user the ability to brand or label textile pieces, include publicity, distinctive symbols or brand names, etc. Also, the said invention can have material or company information listed on it for samples at trade shows with the printed information right on the Component 1 piece that is seen from the outside of garment or textile piece that are fast and easy to take on and off, non-permanent.

This invention gives the user the ability to join, gather and hold a single or multiple pieces of material of apparel and textiles items. With t-shirts, instead of pulling over to the side and tying a knot or using a shirt clip, you can pull over and gather material and then attach said invention. With clothing like jackets, wraps or scarves that have no existing buttons or snaps sewn onto the fabric already, or if they do, maybe not be in the right location you'd prefer, this said invention allows you to hold two separate pieces of material together securely in a quick and easy fashion. Just place component 1 on the top of the apparel piece or overlapped pieces and position the component 2 underneath and then depress component 1 until they connect. This takes the place of having to sew fixed snaps or buttons permanently on the material to do the same function, and also not have to use any pins or clamps with teeth that can quite often damage the material. This invention expands your existing wardrobe by giving you the ability of using your same clothing articles in many, different ways. It allows you to also put apparel pieces together in pairs or sets for travel or storage. As for home, business and commercial textile, this would be a more fortified, thicker version, possibly made out of stronger material like metal, but the same idea here applies for table clothes that can often have extra material that can be hazardous for tripping or just overall looks messy if they are oversized. As well as with some other textiles, such as sheer curtains that could be used to gather to one side without any fixed tiebacks attached to the wall or maybe you want to gather them in the middle for something more decorative, as well as gathering table clothes and table runners materials, etc.

This said invention gives the user the ability to tailor and accentuate various apparel pieces and textiles, making them appear and feel more fitted and well cut, without costly, time consuming, permanent alterations. The invention can gather, hold and hide excess material with the engagement a third component. It can function and give the look of a belt buckle at times, but without the belt strap. This would work well with a loose fitting dress that you wanted to accentuate or draw in to minimize with the use of the said invention in the back of the dress at waist level or off to one side of the hip in the front of the dress.

The use of recycled, earth friendly materials would used for all component parts of the said invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complete the description being made and in order to aid a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is incorporated forming an integral part of this Patent where, for purposes of illustration and in a non-limiting sense various preferred embodiments of the invention in an oval shape, one of many shapes that said invention can take, are shown as follows:

FIG. 1A shows a perspective of how the component parts 1 and 2 attached to embellish, hold, gather material with the bottom drawing showing the finished view from outside apparel or textile.

FIG. 1B shows a perspective of how component parts 1, 2, and 3 can tailor the apparel or textile by pulling in and hiding excess material with the 3rd component engaged, with drawing at the bottom showing the finished view from outside the apparel or textile.

FIG. 2 goes into more detailed perspective view of component parts 1 and 2, and how it works with apparel or textile piece (P) to embellish, hold, and or gather, individual components and attached components and it shows a perspective view of a components 1 and 2 coupled to each other, trapping the clothing item (P), according to the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A shows side view of components 1, 2 and 3 individually. and how they attach and work with the apparel piece or textile (P) to gather, hold and be able to hide excess material with the engagement of component 3 and tucking in excess material inside garment piece.

FIG. 3B shows a more detailed perspective of component 1, 2 and 3. Component 2 is placed behind material (P) and some excess material is pushed back through the middle hole section. Component 1 is then depressed onto component 2 and they coupled together, and then the final step of component 3 being placed inside the center of coupled components 1 and 2 and depressed until it is seated and attached at the beveled base of component 2, thus having all 3 components interlocked.

FIG. 3C shows where any extra material on the inside, underneath area may be tucked back into the underside hole of component 3.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the drawings described above, one can describe more than one distinct embodiment of the invention a device for embellishment, labeling, branding, holding, joining and gathering one or more pieces of apparel or textiles in use or in storage and a tailoring function for apparel or textile in a non-penetrating application. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A removable textile fastener, comprising: a first component of ring like shape and constructed of slightly expandable material; and a second component that is coupled to the first component via the first component depressed onto and partially over the second component, wherein the first component and the second component when coupled firmly bind at least two items of fabric temporarily together.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second component includes an inside member with a lip slightly smaller than an inside surface of the first component.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the inside surface of the first component couples with at least the lip of the second component.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein when the first and second components are decoupled after use, marks are not left on the at least two items of fabric.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two items of fabric are placed together and the first and second are positioned on opposite sides of the coupled items of fabric.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second components do not pierce or puncture items of fabric being held together.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is attachable to at least one item of fabric for purely ornamental purposes.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first component is made from at least one of plastic, metal, resin, and wood.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the fastener promotes temporary alterations of garments.
 10. A method of applying a removable textile fastener, comprising: positioning a first component of ring like shape over a second component of similar shape; applying downward pressure on the first component; discontinuing the downward pressure when the first component snaps on and couples to the second component, wherein at least one item of fabric is positioned between the first component and the second component, and wherein the coupling to the second component binds the components together to the at least one item of fabric.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the second component including an inside member with a lip slightly smaller than an inside surface of the first component.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the inside surface of the first component coupling with at least the lip of the second component.
 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising placing at least two items of fabric together and positioning the first and second components on opposite sides of the coupled items of fabric.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second components do not pierce or puncture items of fabric being held together.
 15. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching the fastener to at least one item of fabric for purely ornamental purposes.
 16. A method of applying a removable textile fastener, comprising: placing a first flat item of fabric atop a second item of fabric; positioning a first component above the contiguous flat items of fabric; positioning a second component below the contiguous items of fabric and positioned directly below the first component; and applying downward pressure on the first component until the first component become fastened to the second component.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the second component including an inside member with a lip slightly smaller than an inside surface of the first component.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the inside surface of the first component coupling with at least the lip of the second component.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second components do not pierce or puncture items of fabric being held together.
 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the fastener to at least one item of fabric for purely ornamental purposes. 